S153P3 – These we must accept: affliction assured
2 Cor. 1:3-7
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ’s sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; and if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which you experience when you patiently endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is unshaken, for we know that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in our comfort.
Being comforted sounds pretty good. Who would not like to be comforted? All of us have experienced loss and disappointment in life. Perhaps you can recall a specific time when you needed comfort so greatly and someone stepped up to the plate to be there for you. Maybe you have been that person to others. When we comfort one another in our times of need, we build bonds. In that process, the grief which affected one now affects more than one. The pain is shared, and that can ease the burden. The sad thing is that comfort only exists because tragedy and suffering exist. It is a beautiful thing to comfort a friend, but pain must come first.
It is so wonderful to think that God comforts us in our times of grief and pain. What might not appear to be so wonderful are the affliction and suffering from which He will comfort us. These are guaranteed to the saints. We do not need to wonder or guess whether we will suffer for the cause of Christ. The word tells us that we will. The fact that God will comfort us during these times really should be part of the joy we are called to have in these sufferings. After all, He is a perfect God. There is no reason to question whether his comfort will be sufficient. No matter what we are called to endure, He will be able to comfort us adequately at that time.
Our sufferings might seem to be at odds with the notion that God blesses and cares for those who love him. Yet, we know that the Father loves the Son perfectly but also allowed him to endure that sacrifice. In that, the Father also comforted the Son perfectly. I think these two things can help us here. It is love that would allow us the privilege of sharing in the sufferings of our Lord, and it is love that carries us through our afflictions well. Let our love be such that we would desire to walk in that privilege. Father, thank You for allowing us to share in the great sufferings that would lead us to such great comfort, and help us to suffer well.